Winds of Change
by Priestess Minerva
Summary: Some new faces equal big trouble. Third in a Series
1. Winds of Change: Part 1

  
Have I been blind  
Have I been lost  
Inside myself and  
My own mind  
Hypnotized  
Mesmerized  
By what my eyes have found?  
  
- 'Carnival' by Natalie Merchant  
  
*****  
  
PROLOGUE  
  
A lone figure sat upon the edge of the cliff, overlooking the landscape below. At first glance you could tell he was not of this world, and yet somehow you felt he belonged here. That he was part of all that happened on this planet.  
  
There he sat, teetering on the edge, his legs dangling over into the vast nothingness. But he was not afraid. He had so little fear to show why waste it on something as petty as falling? The sweet summer wind whispered through his snowy hair as he sat there and thought.  
  
His mischievous blue eyes were fixed upon some small object below. He studied it for a moment, there was a sudden twinkle in those eyes.  
  
"I think," he said to no one in particular, "things are a little too quiet around here."  
  
A childish grin spread across his face. "Perhaps I should stir things up at bit?"  
  
The mysterious figure stood up, the twinkle in his eyes was now a soft blue glow. "The sisters had their turn, and now it's mine...."  
  
*****  
"Well?" Rattrap tapped his foot impatiently.  
  
"Still nothing," Rhinox sighed. "The computer isn't picking up a single stasis pod."  
  
"Oh man!" Rattrap slumped down in his chair. "The long range scanners ain't doing squat! How in the Inferno are we suppose to find all them pods?"  
  
"Don't know." Rhinox shook his head. "It was only by chance we've managed to find the pods we did."  
  
"And don't think I don't appreciate it," smirked Mad Jackel from across the room.  
  
Rattrap glared at her. "A lotta help your being! We're doing all the work while you sit over there playin' video games or something!"  
  
"Actually I was designing a new program for my computer," said the female a bit defensively. "I'd be more than happy to help you guys if ya asked me."  
  
"Well I don't want your help now!" growled the rat.  
  
"Geez, somebody's suddenly a grump today."  
  
"Fine, I'm in a bad mood OK?!"  
  
"No duh! I'm just trying to figure out why. Things don't seem any worse then they usually are." She smiled, "in fact we're two up on the Preds right now, look on the bright side!"  
  
"Oh great optimism, that's just what I need right now," grumbled Rattrap. "Ya know your starting to sound like Sliverbolt."  
  
"Now that's a scary thought."  
  
Rhinox rolled his eyes. "I wish you two would knock it off, your giving me a headache."  
  
"Forget it, I'm oughta here! If anyone needs me I'll be watching videos in my room." And with that Rattrap stormed out of the command center.   
  
Mad Jackel walked over to Rhinox. "What's with him?"  
  
Rhinox looked after his departing friend. "He's just frustrated."  
  
"Either that or he woke up on the wrong side of the recharge bed."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It's an old earth joke I heard, I think I screwed it up though."  
  
"Oh." Rhinox turned back to his computer. "Well I seem to be short an assistant, mind giving me a hand?"  
  
"Sure," she sat down next to him, "so what exactly are we doing anyway?"  
  
"Trying to locate our lost stasis pods."  
  
Mad Jackel sighed. "I got a feeling this is gonna take awhile...."  
  
*****  
  
Normally when a stasis pod comes out of orbit and lands it will automatically begin the replication process. However, if an outside force alters this mechanism it might not happen that way, and a quantum surge would probably do that. So the stasis pods scattered around the planet would not likely begin their replication unless disturbed. And for one particular pod, hidden deep within the outback far from either base, today was that day.  
  
For today a furry brown and gray animal with fearsome jaws decided to come sniffing around for food. It's bright blue eyes suddenly stopped upon the pod. It growled but, the pod did not respond. Bristling it's tail, the creature approached it and tried to claim on top of it. Then, just by accident, it's paw hit the right panel and....  
  
[Replication process initiated. Begin DNA scan] beeped the computer.  
  
The animal backed away from the pod growling.  
  
[Scanning for compatible life forms]  
  
The DNA scanner emerged for the pod, sending a wave of blue light over the creature.  
  
[Compatible life form found. Beginning replication process.]  
  
The furry animal had gotten enough of this strange object and got out of there as fast as it's legs would carry it.  
  
[Replication process complete] beeped the computer at last.  
  
Slowly the hatch opened. Out stepped four huge paws, a powerful jaw, a bushy tail, and a pair of bright blue eyes. The new Maximal looked around him for a moment, then disappeared into the underbrush, leaving the pod behind.  
  
*****  
  
Not far away the same process was happening to another pod. This one stuck in the mud at the at the edge of a quiet river.  
  
[Replication process complete] beeped its computer.  
  
The hatch opened and out stepped...nothing?  
  
Then, first one, then two massive claws grabbed onto the side of the pod. The creature inside began to pull himself out, but unfortunately he slipped and fell head first into the mud.  
  
"Well this is just great," grumbled the new Maximal shacking off the mud. "Five seconds out of the pod and I'm covered with dirt! Geez, what else can possibly go wrong...Ahhhhhhhhh!"  
  
He backed up as he caught his reflection in the metallic surface of the stasis pod. He stared at the spiny redish-brown animal that looked back at him.  
  
"I had to ask...." He rolled his liquid brown eyes. "Well, no need to put this off any longer. Spinestrike MAXIMIZE!"  
  
The small creature suddenly changed into a medium sized, crimson red robot. Spinestrike looked himself over and was relieved to see a pair of normal hands had replaced his claws. Then he knelt down next to the pod, fiddling with the computer.  
  
"Let's see what I can find out about this beast form." He pushed a few buttons and the small screen filled up with data. "Ok, DNA scanned from an echidna, also known as the spiny anteater. Zoological group mammals, subgroup monotremes, blah blah blah, diet consists mostly of termites, ants, and other small insects, blah blah blah, has no natural enemies...hmmmm...that's good at least. Guess that's enough info, I don't need the whole 411 on this thing." He turned off the computer.  
  
*Not too bad of a beast form,* Spinestrike thought to himself. *At least my name already fits*  
  
*****  
  
"Why can't anyone around here carry out a simple order?!" Megatron slammed his fist into the arm of his command chair, leaving a large dent.  
  
"Well...eh...findin'' lost stasis pods ain't exactly a simple order," said Quickstrike, not really thinking.  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
All the assembled Predacons turned to their leader, a little worried about what he would say next.  
  
Megatron leaned back in his chair tapping his fingers against the arm. "Right now the Maximals have two more warriors then we do. All I want is to recover a few stasis pods and even out, if not tip the balance of power in our favor. Is that clear?"  
  
"Quite clear my Queen!" Inferno saluted.  
  
"At least someone around here knows how to take orders." He sighed, "but stop referring to me as 'queen'."  
  
"Yes my Queen!"  
  
The Predacon commander growled. "Listen, here is what I want done! Waspinator, Buzz Saw, and Sting Blade will remain at base. Quickstrike will search for pods in the west, and Inferno the east. BlackArachnia?"  
  
"Yes my leech.....I mean leis?" The spider quickly corrected herself hoping Megatron hadn't caught the insult.  
  
"You and Tarantulas will search the south. Now go." None of the Predacons moved. "NOW!!"  
  
Everyone scrambled out of the command center.  
  
BlackArachnia followed Tarantulas down one of the hallways. She waited till they were out of earshot of Megatron, then started grumbling.  
  
"I can't believe someone of my talents is being sent on some stupid scavenger hunt! It's so degrading," she growled. "I don't see why Megajerk can't just have Waspinator do this job!"  
  
Tarantulas stopped before one of the doorways. "Because, the last time Waspinator looked for stasis pods, we ended up with those two nitwits!" He pointed into the room.  
  
BlackArachnia looked in and saw Sting Blade and Buzz Saw playing a video game. "Oh"  
  
"Besides if we do find any pods we might be able to adjust them to OUR purposes," chucked the male spider.  
  
"Always scheming aren't you?"  
  
"Well, I have nothing better to do with my free time." He looked over his female companion, "unless of course...."  
  
BlackArachnia stopped him before he could say anything else. "Right now, we have more important things to do!"  
  
Both spiders converted to beast mode and hurried away from their base.  
  
*****  
  
Back at the Maximal base, Rattrap was sulking in his room when someone knocked on his door.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, come in."  
  
The door opened and in walked Livewire (and considering his room resembled a land fill this was no easy task). Rattrap stood up straight, he couldn't remember the last time there had been a female in his quarters.  
  
"Well," Rattrap made his best attempt to be charming, "what a pleasant surprise."  
  
Livewire rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself Ratbreath, I just can to talk."  
  
He slumped back down in his chair, "then maybe I don't wanna talk to ya!"  
  
"Too bad, ya don't got a choice." The firefly sat down next to him, "so what's buggin' ya anyway?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Livewire looked him in the eyes. "I ain't leaving till ya tell me what's wrong."  
  
"Fine," grumbled the rat. "I'm just mad cause I'm suppose to help find them stasis pods, and da long range scanners I worked on haven't found zip! So I failed! There I said it, ya happy now?"  
  
"So your just gonna sit here on your butt feeling sorry for yourself, is that it?" asked Livewire sarcastically. "If ya want ta find the pods so badly, why don't ya just go out and look for em?"  
  
"Just go out and look for em, are you crazy?"  
  
"Fine, do what ya want for all I care!" She started to walk out, "but don't come crying to me when we're up to our optics in Predacons!"  
  
The door closed behind the female as she left.  
  
"Hrmf, what does she know?!" Rattrap leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. *Ya can't just go out and find pods,* he  
thought to himself, *then again nothing else has worked....*  
  
An idea suddenly came to him. *Hey. That's just crazy enough to work! But I'm gonna need some help. Hmmmm...Rhinox, nah...Sliverbolt, too much of a glory hound...Chopperface, forget that!* He tapped his fingers against his chin.  
  
"I got it, the kid!" He grinned, of course Cheetor couldn't resist the chance to show off, plus he wasn't a tattletale. "Ha, I'll show that smart mouthed firefly!"  
  
Rattrap grabbed some equipment from his storage locker, then headed down the hall to find Cheetor. Watching him from the shadows was a small, slender, red and black robot.  
  
"Reverse psychology, works every time," Livewire smirked to herself. *MJ ain't the only one around here with a few tricks up her sleeve. Of course, none of us actually have sleeves....*  
  
The female shrugged and headed in the other direction.  
  
*****  
  
"Ah, here it is!" Spinestrike finally found the panel in his stasis pod he had been looking for. He tried opening it. "Oh great, it's stuck."  
  
A sudden noise in the bushes caught his attention. When he turned around, there was nothing there.  
  
"Hello?" he asked nervously. "Is someone there?"  
  
The bushes rustled again. Spinestrike stepped back, he was starting to really dislike this place. He decided to change to beast mode. Echidnas have no natural enemies...it was the unnatural ones he was worried about.  
  
He crept toward the bushes slowly, carefully. His gaze was suddenly met by a pair of bright blue eyes. Then, out of the underbrush, sprang a huge Tasmanian devil.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Spinestrike scrambled backward, a little too fast, and stumbled over a rock landing on his spines.  
  
The Tasmanian devil laughed. "Chill, I'm on your side!"  
  
"You're...you're a Maximal?"  
  
"Yep, sorry didn't mean to scare ya."  
  
"I wasn't scared!" Spinestrike growled as he transformed back to bot mode. "Just a little surprised, that's all."  
  
"Oh...." The other Maximal transformed also, into a brown and gray robot, a little taller then his companion. "Name's Snarl by the way."  
  
"Well I'm Spinestrike, and don't forget it!" He began to walk back to his pod.  
  
"Um...how exactly are we gonna get back to the Maximal ship anyhow?"  
  
"Do I look like a homing device to you?" asked the echidna sarcastically.  
  
"Uh....no."  
  
"Well then I don't know."  
  
Spinestrike kneeled down next to the pod and started tugging at the panel he had been working on earlier. Snarl leaned over his shoulder, "what are you doing?"  
  
"Trying to get underneath this stupid panel," he sighed. "You sure ask  
a lot of questions!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Spinestrike finally managed to rip the panel off and pulled out what looked like a small sliver briefcase. Snarl eyed it with curiosity, "what's that?"  
  
"My surgeon's kit, I'm a medic," replied his companion proudly, placing the case in a compartment underneath the spines on his back. "Now, let's see if we can find the base."  
  
Snarl couldn't think of a better plan, so he followed after the echidna. Both of them wondered how in the world they were going to get home.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Winds of Change: Part 2

  
  
"Why we alwayzzz get stuck with boring azzignmentzz?" grumbled Sting Blade, leaning against one of the computers.  
  
"Ya, not fair!" agreed Buzz Saw.  
  
Waspinator shook his head. "Other Predaconzz get to go out while we have to stay at base and work on zztupid computerzz!"  
  
"Buzz Saw hate being left behind!" He kicked the side of the computer, instantly regretting it as pain shot up his foot.  
  
The Predacon clutched his hurt foot, cursing under his breath. Waspinator and Sting Blade couldn't help giggling. Buzz Saw made a face at them.  
  
Suddenly the computer started beeping. Waspinator activated the screen while his friends leaned over his shoulder to look.  
  
"Hmmm...Ant-bot back," buzzed Waspinator as Inferno appeared on his screen. He looked at the picture more closely and his eyes widened, "and he hazzz stazizz podzz...two of them!!"  
  
The three insects looked at each other for a moment, then buzzed off to tell Megatron.  
  
*****  
"This is skycat to ratracer," said Cheetor over his com link, "come in ratracer, you find anything?"  
  
"Not anything to write home about," sighed Rattrap at the other end of the com.  
  
Cheetor landed next to him. "So what do we do now?"  
  
"Keep looking."  
  
Cheetor sighed.  
  
"Well you can go home if ya want," said Rattrap starting to walk away. "I just thought maybe you wanted a chance to prove yourself, that's all."  
  
"Well yeah, finding a stasis pod would impress Optimus." Cheetor looked   
sheepishly at the ground, "and maybe Mad Jackel too."  
  
"MJ?" Rattrap rolled his eyes. "Kid, I'd give up on that dame. She's colder then deep space!"  
  
"That's the same thing you said about Livewire, but you're still hitting on her." The younger Maximal grinned. "Isn't that what this is all about?"  
  
Rattrap paused for a moment. "Oh shut up and keep moving!"  
  
*****  
  
"Hmmm...interesting." Tarantulas leaned over the stasis pod. "It appears the protoform acquired a beast shell, then just left."  
  
"Just like the other pod we found," grumbled BlackArachnia. "So much for   
reprogramming them."  
  
"Don't be so close-minded widow. The components in these pods may be useful!" The spider chuckled. "Come, we will take them back to my new lair."  
  
"Oh goody," replied the female sarcastically. "I hate manual labor."  
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile back at Pred central....  
  
"Excellent work Inferno!" Megatron grinned wickedly at the two pods his lackey had found.  
  
"I live to serve," Inferno bowed.  
  
"Yep, we're gonna kick some Maximal keiser now!" laughed Quickstrike, who had just returned to base empty handed (or whatever the heck he had).  
  
"Yesss," the Predacon leader chuckled. "I've already reprogrammed these pods, now all we have to do is push this button to begin the replication process and...."  
  
"Can Buzz Saw push button?" asked the yellow jacket eagerly.   
  
Megatron rolled his eyes. "Very well insect, just do it!"  
  
Buzz Saw grinned childishly and pushed a small button on the control panel. Instantly several lights began to flicker, and the pods started humming.  
  
All the Predacons waited as the replication process completed. Then, out of one of the pods, crawled a large, rather unattractive lizard with a frill attached to its neck.  
  
"Ah, my newest Predacon, welcome." Megatron stood before the lizard. "I am Megatron, your leader!"  
  
The lizard smiled, "Iguanus is the name, demolition is my game!" He transformed to robot mode (which was even more hideous the his beast mode) and saluted.  
  
Megatron grinned and looked over at the other pod which was now opening. Out of it stepped, or rather hopped, a purple pterodactyl. "And you are?"  
  
"The name is Lazorbeak," said the pterodactyl transforming.  
  
Megatron starred at him for a moment, at the other end of the room Waspinator shuddered. They couldn't help noticing the new Predacon, except for his color, looked almost identical to Terrorsaur. The resemblance was scary.  
  
"Uh yes, welcome," the Pred commander finally found his voice. "And now we shall crush the Maximal threat, YESSS!"  
  
All the assembled Predacons cheered.  
  
******  
  
"That ought to do it," Mad Jackel closed the circuitry panel she had been working on. "Try it now, Rhinox!"  
  
Rhinox began working his controls and the screen lit up for a moment. Then one of the circuits blew, shocking MJ and sending her back a few feet.  
  
Just then, Optimus and Dinobot entered the room. "How are things going?" asked the Maximal commander.   
  
"N-not s-so g-good O-Optimus-s-s...." said Mad Jackel, her voice circuits chattering from the electricity.  
  
"You all right?" Rhinox asked her.  
  
The female managed to stand up and give him a shaky OK sign, then fell over backwards. Luckily, Dinobot caught her, helping her into a chair.   
  
"What exactly are you doing?" he asked.  
  
Trying to increase the scanners range so we can find some stasis pods," replied Rhinox, "but so far, it hasn't worked."  
  
Primal shook his head. "I'm afraid we'll just have to find those pods the old fashioned way. I think it might be safer for our heath, right MJ?"  
  
"None for me thanks, I'm driving," said the still rather out of it Maximal, falling out of her chair.  
  
Optimus sighed. "Dinobot, could you take her to her quarters? I think she could use a rest."  
  
The raptor picked up Mad Jackel, who for some reason had begun singing   
'The Old Gray Mare', and carried her out of the room over his shoulder, passing Livewire as she came in.  
  
Livewire looked back at them for a moment. "Uh...is carcussface drunk or   
somethin'?"  
  
"No, she just had a run in with some circuitry," answered Rhinox. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"I was just wondering if Ratty and Cheets was back from patrolling yet."  
  
"No." Optimus looked concerned, "and they've been gone for an awfully long time."  
  
"Knowing cheese-for-brains, he probably stopped for lunch," snickered Livewire, but there was almost a note of worry in her voice.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about those two till it starts to get real late," Rhinox reassured them.  
  
"Well then I'm going to my quarters," said Optimus leaving the room. "Let me know if anything comes up."  
  
"Will do," replied the Maximal technowizard. Livewire began to leave too. "Hold it!"  
  
"What?" she spun around.  
  
"I have a feeling your keeping something."  
  
"I swear I don't know nothing!"  
  
Rhinox stared at her.  
  
"Really!"  
  
He kept starring.  
  
"Well...."  
  
Still starring.  
  
"Ok, enough with the third degree already! Geez, I'll talk," she finally sighed.  
  
Rhinox smiled.  
  
"See, I noticed Rattrap was kinda feeling low, so I sorta tricked him into looking for stasis pods. But I never meant for him to drag the kid into it!" She sat down with her head in her hands, "if anything happens to em, it'll be my fault."  
  
"Don't feel bad. I know Rattrap and he would have done something like this without your help," sighed her companion. "Interesting that you were concerned for him though."  
  
"Well I...." Livewire rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "It's not like I actually LIKE him or anything, it's just...."  
  
"You don't want anyone to know you like him?" Rhinox said gently.  
  
"Maybe," Livewire would have blushed if she wasn't made of metal, "but if you say anything...."  
  
"Your secret is safe with me," the older Maximal smiled.  
  
"Uh, thanks," she left the room feeling a little embarrassed.   
  
Rhinox shook his head thoughtfully, turning back to his computer.  
  
*****  
  
"I'm fine Dinobot, really!" argued Mad Jackel, trying to sit up.  
  
Dinobot gently pushed her back down against her bed. "Optimus said you need rest, so rest!"  
  
"Oh come on," the young Maximal, who was now back to her normal self,   
complained, "not like this is the first time I've electrocuted myself!"  
  
"That does not inspire confidence," grumbled the larger robot. "Now would please get some sleep."  
  
The female ran her hand down his chest. "I'd sleep a lot better if you stayed."  
  
Dinobot shook his head. "I have matters I must attend to."  
  
"Oh," MJ sighed. Their relationship was just starting to grow and Dinobot was still a little unsure about the whole thing. She tried not to push him, but her emotions often got the best of her. "Don't I at least get a good night kiss?"  
  
He found this request reasonable and leaned down, kissing her on the lips. Jackel put her arms around him, holding him there for a few lovely moments before reluctantly letting him go.  
  
Dinobot switched off the light as he left. "Pleasant dreams."  
  
Mad Jackel chucked to herself, then drifted out into peaceful slumber.  
  
*****  
  
"Are you sure we're going the right way?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Oh." Snarl looked at the ground and kept walking. Spinestrike, as it turned out, was not very talkative and he was getting bored. "You know, you're not much of a conversationalist."  
  
Spinestrike stopped. "Listen buddy, I was just rudely awakened from a very long nap to find myself in a body that looks like a walking salad-shooter! So I'm just a little CRANKY, Ok?!"  
  
"K..." The Tasmanian devil stepped back a few inches. Spinestrike may have been smaller then him, but man, did he have attitude!  
  
They walked on for a while in silence. Finally, Spinestrike spoke up.   
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so mad. I'm just a little out of it right now."  
  
"That's goes for the two us us," Snarl grinned "Friends?"  
  
"Friends," the echidna returned the smile. "I'd shake hands, but I don't seem to have them at the moment."   
  
They both burst out laughing.  
  
Neither of the two Maximals had any idea they were being watched. By sixteen eyes that is, eight belonging to each spider.  
  
"Well, well, two little lost Maximals," purred BlackArachnia wickedly. "Perhaps we should help them find their way, to their doom that is."  
  
Tarantulas chuckled. "Yes, I could use a few new guinea pigs. But the last time we had a captive, I seem to remember something went wrong...."  
  
The female frowned. She hated constantly being reminded of her run in with her Maximal sister, which had sense become know as the 'Jackel Incident'. "You have any better ideas?"  
  
"Hand them over to Megatron."  
  
"What?!!"  
  
"Think about it she-spider," said Tarantulas slyly. "We give Megatron two captives, we get in his good graces, and then...."  
  
"We squash him like a bug!" BlackArachnia finished the thought. "You are one whacked out spider, but never the less brilliant!"  
  
Snarl suddenly stopped. "Did you hear something?"  
  
"No," replied Spinestrike, "but something doesn't feel right around here."  
  
The two Maximized, drawing their weapons. They looked around nervously, but there was no enemy.  
  
"Maybe we're just jumpy?" Snarl lowered his tail gun.  
  
Spinestrike shook his head and kept his own lazor ready. "Trust me, when I feel something is wrong it usually is."  
  
"Your correct Maximal!" screeched a female voice.  
  
The echidna couldn't duck in time as BlackArachnia nailed him in the chest with a karate kick. While Tarantulas slammed hard into Snarl.  
  
The female Predacon pinned Spinestrike to the ground. "Not much of a fighter are...UGH!"  
  
He managed to get an arm free and punched her in the face. He had no problem with hitting a girl.  
  
Meanwhile, Snarl was doing the best he could against the Transmetal. He was a good warrior, but Tarantulas had gotten the upper hand. Snarl was soon on his stomach, a cyber-venom dart being pressed into his back. He felt his systems shutting down and a sudden coldness, then nothing.  
  
BlackArachnia screamed as a razor-edged boomerang sliced through several of her leg cannons.  
  
Spinestrike caught the boomerang and began to draw his labor. Tarantulas   
grabbed his arms and held them behind his back. BlackArachnia smiled, moving   
dangerously towards him. He struggled, but Tarantulas's grip only tightened.  
  
"I was wrong, you are a good fighter." The female rubbed his face almost sweetly with her claw. "But not good enough!"  
  
She shank her fangs into him him and his body began to go limp. The last thing Spinestrike remembered was BlackArachnia's wicked smile, then his world went black.  
  
*****  
  
Waspinator buzzed down the hallway, followed by Lazorbeak. Megatron had commanded him to give the new Predacon a tour of the base. It wasn't the assignment that bothered him though, it was Lazorbeak. The resemblance to his late comrade Terrorsaur was giving Waspy the creeps. It was gonna take some time to get use to.  
  
"Thizz your quarterzz," said Waspinator stopping in front of a doorway. "Uzze to belong to Terrorsaur."  
  
Lazorbeak had by now learned who Terrorsaur was and that he bore a striking resemblance to him. "Uh, thanks."  
  
"Wazzpinator go now," the wasp flew off, seeming happy to get away.  
  
"Weird guy," Lazorbeak shook his head and walked into his new room.  
  
The room had obviously been cleaned out sense it's previous resident, so there wasn't much to look at. The new Predacon leaned back in a chair, putting he feet up on the desk. "I need to get an interior decorator in here."  
  
It was then he noticed a small panel on the wall looked loose. Lazorbeak tugged on it and it opened, reveling a small computer hidden behind it.  
  
*Why would someone hide this back there?* he wondered to himself turning on the computer. "Hmmm...."  
  
*****  
  
Megatron leaned back in his chair grinning. The day had turned out pretty well after all. He had two new additions to his troops, and best of all the two treacherous arachnids hadn't bothered him for awhile. Life was good!  
  
"Oh Megatron!" sang out a sickeningly sweet voice.  
  
So much for that thought.  
  
The assembled Predacons turned as BlackArachnia entered the room, Tarantulas remained in the doorway.  
  
Quickstrike noticed the missing leg cannons and ran over to her. "You all right sugarbot?"  
  
"Nothing the CR tank won't fix." She brushed him aside, "but right now I have business."  
  
Megatron turned to her. "I take it you failed to find any stasis pod?"  
  
"Yes," BlackArachnia gestured to Tarantulas, "but we brought the next best thing!"  
  
The male spider dragged the two unconscious Maximals into the room,   
wrapped in stasis webs. "Hostages, for you Mighty Megatron!" Tarantulas smirked.  
  
The Predacon commander knew the spider were up to no good, but why look a gift Maximal in the mouth?  
  
"Excellent! Inferno, disarm them and lock them up."  
  
The fire ant did as he was told and took the captives from Tarantulas.  
  
"Arachnia, go repair yourself. Sting Blade, open up a communications link to the Maximals." Megatron grinned, "I have a little message for Primal...."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Winds of Change: Part 3

  
"That is my proposition Primal," said the image of Megatron on the Axalon's computer screen. "Either surrender or these two Maximals," he pointed to the caged Spinestrike and Snarl behind him, "will be terminated!"  
  
"That's not much of a choice," Optimus shook his head sadly.  
  
"I shall give you two hours to make your decision. After that...." Megatron drew his finger across his throat like a blade, then his face disappeared from the screen.  
  
"So, what do we do now?" asked Rhinox, his face full of concern.  
  
Optimus sighed. "I wish I knew."  
  
"Well, we are certainly NOT going to surrender to them?!!" growled Dinobot. "Megatron can not be trusted! He would kill the two Maximals, no matter what we do!"  
  
"I gotta agree with chopperface on this one." Livewire held her head   
in her hands, "those two are scrap."  
  
"There must be something we can do!" Silverbolt spoke up.  
  
Tigatron and Airazor exchanged worried looks, while Mad Jackel, for   
once in her life, couldn't think of anything to say.  
  
The Maximal leader looked around at his assembled crew. "Prime, where are you when I need you?!*  
  
*****  
  
Rattrap switched off his communicator. It had picked up Megatron's message as it can through and he and Cheetor had heard every word.  
  
"This is bad," Cheetor gulped.  
  
"No, this is beyond bad!!" Rattrap sat down on a rock grumbling.  
  
"So what do we do?" asked the younger Maximal.  
  
"Whata ya mean, whata WE do? We can't do nothing!!" Rattrap shook his head. "The only thing we could do would be completely insane and idiotic and...." he stopped suddenly.  
  
Cheetor looked at him. "And what?"  
  
The rat smiled. "Feel like doing somethin' insane and idiotic?"  
  
*****  
  
Spinestrike's world finally began to lighten. The air around him seemed unusually warm and so thick, he nearly choked. He sat up, his head throbbing with pain. "Oy what a day I'm having!"  
  
"Tell me about it!" said a nearby voice.  
  
The echidna opened his eyes to find himself in a cage dangling over a lava pit, Snarl was in a cage next to him. "What happened?"  
  
"As near as I can figure," Snarl sighed, "We've been kidnaped by a group of unfriendly Predacons."  
  
"Well that's just great."  
  
"Wait, it gets worse. I overheard their commander, we're being held for the surrender of the other Maximals."  
  
"And either way, we're probably toast?"  
  
"Yep, and oh yeah, we've been disarmed."  
  
"Not completely." Spinestrike produced his surgeon's kit from behind   
his back, "they forgot something."  
  
Snarled looked at his friend, puzzled. He seemed to be smiling and examining a small scalpel. "What are you smiling about?"  
  
"Simply," Spinestrike began to laugh, "the fact that you can pick a lock with a scalpel, that's all."  
  
*****  
  
When BlackArachnia finally stepped out of the CR tank, Quickstrike was waiting for her.  
  
"How ya feelin' Sugarbot?"  
  
"Better, thank you," BlackArachnia flashed him one of her infamous, fangy smiles, "and I do so appreciate your concern."  
  
Across the room Tarantulas made a hmph' noise. Arachnia ignored him and continued her flirting.  
  
"I don't suppose you'd like to escort me to the command center, would you Quickstrike?" The she-spider ran her claw seductively down his chest.  
  
"Why sure I would widow-gal," said the fuzor, giggling like an idiot.  
  
Meanwhile, Tarantulas was beginning to feel nauseous.  
  
Quickstrike put his snake arm around BlackArachnia's slender waist and the two walked out of the medical lab, but not before the female shot a smirk in Tarantulas's direction.  
  
The transmetal slammed his fist into the computer console angrily. "Ohhhh...that witch!"  
  
Tarantulas sat back in his chair, arms crossed, grumbling. BlackArachnia had been getting on his nerves more then usual lately, especially her flirting with Quickstrike. Funny how that behavior seemed to bother him most when it was directed at someone else. Could it be he was actually jealous? The spider shook this thought out of his head. No, to be jealous he would have to care! That was not an emotion he believed he ever had.  
  
But then again, what right did that fuzor have to her? It was Tarantulas's genius that had created BlackArachnia, if anyone should have her affections it should be him! And he would have her, oh yes he WOULD, one way or another! But first he would have to get rid of Quickstrike.  
  
"Sometimes I swear, that idiot would serve me better as a floor lamp then as a lackey." Tarantulas chuckled to himself, he was beginning to get a few ideas.  
  
*****  
  
"Storming the Pred base to rescue two bots we've never met?" asked Cheetor as he raced through the sky. "I thought you hated suicide missions?!"  
  
"I do!" yelled Rattrap racing below him. "But I'd hate havin' ta surrender and definitely get scrapped even more!"  
  
"The worse of two evils huh?"  
  
"You got it kid! Now shut up and keep flying!"  
  
*****   
  
Snarl and Spinestrike crept through the Predacon corridors as quietly as they could, stepping back into the shadows as they heard a noise coming towards them.  
  
Buzz Saw and Sting Blade came walking down the hall arm in arm. Waspinator followed just behind them.  
  
"So he sayzzz..." Waspinator giggled, barley able to finish his joke, "that wazz no lady, that'zz my wife!  
  
Sting Blade burst out laughing, but Buzz Saw just looked confused. "Buzz Saw no get it."  
  
The three insects walked past them, not noticing a thing. When the cost was clear, the Maximals slipped into the room across the hall.  
  
"This looks like a the storage room," whispered Spinestrike "Probably where they put our weapons, start looking."   
  
Snarled nodded and the two headed off in different directions.  
  
Suddenly the Tasmanian devil stopped, laying on a shelf in front of him was his tailgun and Spinestrike's boomerangs and laser. "Guess the Preds weren't too worried about someone getting to these," he chuckled in a low voice.  
  
The Maximal didn't notice a large shadow creeping up behind him.  
  
"Man, talk about dumb Preda..." he stopped short as he glanced over his shoulder "...cons?"  
  
Snarl turned completely around and found himself looking up at a very large red robot with a wicked grin plastered across his face.  
  
"Your just in time for your death Maximal fool!" Inferno laughed maniacally as he reached back for his flamethrower to finish off his victim.  
  
Poor Snarl was too petrified to move a muscle, let alone see the figure standing behind Inferno.   
  
Luckily for him, that was when the fire ant realized something was missing, namely his weapon. Inferno tensed at hear the familiar click of a gun being brought online next to the back of his head.  
  
"Loss something blender-butt?"  
  
He spun around only to find himself looking down the barrel on his own flamethrower with Spinestrike slowly pressing the trigger....  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!"  
  
*****  
  
"Did you hear something?" asked Cheetor as he and Rattrap prepared to literally storm the Predacon base.  
  
"Ya, I think dat's our signal to move!" shouted Rattrap.  
  
They charged.  
  
*****  
  
"Woah," gasped Snarl, looking at the charred Predacon at his feet. He was amazed.  
  
Spinestrike, on the other hand, looked more remorseful then anything. He dropped the flamethrower, "I think his screaming just woke up every Pred in the place."  
  
Almost on cue, sirens began going off.  
  
"Yep, we're gonna die."  
  
Snarl tosses the echidna his weapons. "Not without a fight we're not! Come on, I have a plan this time!"  
  
His plan was a simple one, smash through every Predacon in their way and try to get out before getting killed. Never said it was a very good plan. They did, however, manage to get as far as the next corridor before being pinned down by enemy fire.  
  
"Foolish Maximals," sneered Megatron, "did you really think we would let you escape?"  
  
"Well, no actually," said a quite damaged Spinestrike, sarcastic to the very last, "but hey, it was worth a shot right?"  
  
Megatron aimed his cannon at the echidna's head.  
  
"Guess that's a no."  
  
The Pred commander was about to fire when the wall next to him exploded. In walked two battle ready Maximals.  
  
"Ok, all good guys out!" yelled Rattrap.  
  
He and Cheetor held off the bit dazed Predacons, while Snarl grabbed his damaged companion and leaped out the newly made door. The others quickly followed suit.  
  
"Don't just stand there you idiots!" growled Megatron. "After them!"  
  
"I can't believe that worked!" laughed Cheetor.  
  
"Yeah," shouted Snarl, "nice timing!"   
  
Spinestrike, who was still being half dragged along by Snarl, wasn't so optimistic. "We're all gonna die!"  
  
"Hey, that's my line!" Rattrap yelled from behind them. "But I think you're right!"  
  
Just then came the familiar sound of a Predacon's scream as chaingun bullets ripped into them. And there, in front of them, stood Rhinox and all the other Maximals, already for battle.  
  
"What happened?" asked Optimus Primal as the fleeing Maximals joined them.  
  
"I'll tell ya later," Rattrap caught his breath. "What are you guys doin' here?"  
  
"Came to do what I think you just did," said Rhinox. "In which case I'd say it's time to go."  
  
Optimus nodded. "Maximals fallback!"  
  
"Ahh!" screamed Megatron in frustration. He grabbed the nearest Pred, which happened to be Buzz Saw, and slammed him into a tree.  
  
The unfortunate yellow jacket rubbed his head. "Buzz Saw need to find new line of work."  
  
*****  
  
"So you and Cheetor decided to storm the base alone?" asked Optimus, he did not look happy.  
  
"Yeah and it worked, so what ya gettin' so mad about...ouch!" Rattrap jerked as Spinestrike worked on his damaged circuitry. "Dat hurts!"  
  
"If you'd sit still, it wouldn't," growled Spinestrike finishing his work, closing the panel on the transmetal's chest.  
  
"Ok, can I go now doc?"  
  
"Yeah," sighed the new medic, "but don't call me 'doc'. "  
  
Rattrap began to walk out of the med lab but Optimus grabbed his shoulder. "If you EVER pull a stunt like that again...."  
  
"Trust me, I won't." The rat smirked as he left the room.  
  
Spinestrike shook his head. "Well, I can see working here is gonna be a real experience."  
  
Rhinox sighed. "You don't know the half of it!"  
  
*****  
  
Rattrap hadn't expected anyone wanted to really talk to him right now, especially her. But there, leaning next to his door as he came around the corner, was Livewire. He wasn't sure whether to be glad to see her or not.  
  
"Hey Ratbreath, where ya been?"  
  
"Around. Why, was ya looking for me or somethin''?"  
  
"No."  
  
A weird smile crossed the rat's face. "Come on, admit it. You was worried about me."  
  
"Ya well..." Livewire bit her lip. "What's it to ya?"  
  
"I just wanted to know if ya'd miss me."  
  
"Why of course," her voice dripped with sarcasm, "without you, I'd be da shortest Maximal around here."  
  
"Oh very funny." He wasn't amused.  
  
The female just smirked and walked passed him, letting the tip of her wing brush playfully against his face.  
  
"Sheesh, women. Ya can't live with em..." Rattrap watched Livewire walk down the hall, "but life wouldn' be nearly as much fun without em!"  
  
*****  
  
It had taken him awhile, partly due to the interruption caused by the Maximals, but Lazorbeak finally creaked the security code on the computer.  
  
"Looks like this Terrorsaur guy had some major plans," he chuckled.  
  
Inside the computer he had found file upon file of information on the bases, local energon deposits, and everything else a would-be conspirator could need. And by now, it seemed obvious to him that Megatron was an incompetent leader. So why shouldn't HE lead?  
  
"Hmmm..." The pterodactyl grinned wickedly, "this has some definite possibilities, yesss...."  
  
The End  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
